SISTER MARY LOUISE MARECKI, CSSF, Teacher, Secretary

Sister Mary Louise, 89, a Felician Sister for 71 years, died in the Blessed Mary Angela Care Center, Buffalo, NY, on January 2, 2017.   The former Estelle Marecki was born on April 20, 1927 in Erie, PA.  She was a member of Holy Trinity Parish, Erie, PA.  She entered the Buffalo Province of the Felician Sisters on September 8, 1945 and professed perpetual vows on August 9, 1953.  A graduate of St. Benedict Academy, Erie, PA, she furthered her education at Mount St. Joseph Teachers College, now known as Medaille College in Buffalo, NY, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Education degree.  She also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Detroit.

Sister Louise began her teaching ministry as a Kindergarten teacher for five years at St. John Gualbert Catholic elementary school in Cheektowaga, NY.  She continued teaching at this level for a few years at Transfiguration Catholic elementary school in Rome, NY.  In 1956, she became a Business teacher at Villa Maria Academy in Buffalo, NY.  She taught in this capacity at Bishop Gibbons High School, North Tonawanda, NY, and Bishop Colton High School, Buffalo, NY.  Being very skilled in this area, Sister Louise served as Business Instructor at Villa Maria College of Buffalo, NY, from September 1966 to June 1971, at which time she returned to Villa Maria Academy.  In addition to teaching Business courses, she assumed the responsibility of serving as head of the Secretarial Science Department at the academy.

In January, 1980, Sister Louise was summoned to go to Rome, Italy, to serve as a secretary to the Vatican City of State and assist in handling the pope's correspondence.  Being honored to be asked, she willingly accepted this new venture.  She resided at Our Lady Mediatrix of Graces Generalate in Rome, Italy, and commuted to the Vatican.  She served during the papacy of St. John Paul II.  On October 19, 1994, she was a recipient of the "Pro Ecclesia and Pontifice" award in recognition of her generous service to the Church and the papacy. She returned to the United States on January 10, 2000.

Shortly after her return from Rome, Sister Louise once again used her secretarial skills as an administrative assistant to the provincial secretary and in the development office.  Because of poor health, she became a patient in the Blessed Mary Angela Care Center on September 30, 2013.  At the time of her 70 ^th jubilee celebration in 2015, Sister Louise remarked, "I am most grateful to God and my parents for the wonderful gift of life and faith that has enabled me to respond to be a Felician Sister." She spent three years in the Care Center during which time she continued to be kind and congenial to all those with whom she had contact.

Sister Louise is survived by nieces and nephews.  She was predeceased by her parents, Francis and Anna (Moscinski) Marecki, her sisters, SM Alfreda Marecki, CSSF, and Marion Marecki, her brothers, Alex and Joseph Marecki plus three siblings who died in infancy, Anna, Francis and Stanley Marecki.

A wake for Sister Louise will be held at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Central Convent on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 from 2 – 5 p.m.

An Evening Prayer Service will take place on Tuesday, at 5 p.m. in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent Chapel (Villa Maria).

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. in the Convent Chapel.

Burial will follow in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Cheektowaga, NY.